Gig-goers in Nottingham didn’t have to look far on Monday night for a pick me up to start the week, as hometown boys Baby Godzilla took over the Rescue Rooms for one of their always lively shows. Supported by a varied cast of up and coming bands, there was never any chance of people feeling overcharged by the £3 door price.

Opening the evening were another Nottingham based band, Widows, who ploughed through a powerful set to warm the crowd up. Vocalist Adam Jolliffe has a vocal style which is very reminiscent of American Rock bands such as Clutch and Saviours, and whilst the music was more uptempo than the standard ‘Stoner Rock’ offering, it is clear the band has been influenced heavily by the genre. Some strong distortion effects were used frequently, and it all built up into an almost deafening roar, setting the tone perfectly for the rest of the evening.

Lightening the proceedings ever so slightly were the northern quartet Cut Yourself In Half. Whilst the band used several long introductions and extended instrumental parts, vocally they were much more melodic, as guitarist Mikey Feather provided counterpoint vocals to guitarist and lead vocalist George Quinn. The performance was well polished, and the steady pace of the drum beats and guitar rhythms meant that songs passed by in what felt like a short space of time. Sometimes the complexity of music can lie in its simplicity, and Cut Yourself In Halfdemonstrated this to good effect.

The last of the evening’s supports came from Alright The Captain, who played this show as a four-piece, using two full drum kits in addition to the two giant boards of effects pedals and electronics wired into the Guitar and Bass. This gave the band the opportunity to sound more like a full orchestra of instruments than four men in a small room, huddled around a burning incense stick, and the effect was impressive. The strings layered numerous complex rhythms over a lively drum beat, and like the bands before them built up to a wall of noise which had everyone in the room nodding along in approval. Instrumental Math-Rock can certainly be an acquired taste, but if the lack of vocals and common rhythms doesn’t put you off, Alright The Captain are a band who should appeal greatly.

Baby Godzillahave built up quite a following in Nottingham and the surrounding area during the past couple of years. Known equally for their chaotic music and even more chaotic live shows, any event they play tends to draw attention. And tonight was no exception, as by the time they took to the stage the Red Room in the Rescue Rooms was close to its 100 person capacity. Not that this stopped the two guitarists, Matt Reynolds and Jonny Hall, from setting up their microphones in the middle of the room and proceeding to launch into their set surrounded by those who had paid to see them. You can’t go and watch a Baby Godzilla show – if you’re present, you are part of a Baby Godzilla show. Throughout the set the band explored all four corners of the room, whilst Paul Shelley on drums played as if it was the last show he was ever playing, culminating with the drum kit strewn across the stage as if it had just been hit by a car. Of course, a live show of this intensity would count for nothing if the music wasn’t any good, but fortunately this was not the case. Pushing experimental math-rock to its chaotic limits, Baby Godzillaworked through complex rhythms and key changes seemingly with ease, stopping only briefly for the occasional group singalong or to let the distortion take over. Both guitarists, as well as Bassist Tom Marsh provided chaotic, aggressive vocals, for a whole package which left the crowd both pleased and exhausted in equal measure.